


two

by rougesimp



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: AU: Sonic Boom, Attempt at Humor, Domestic Fluff, Everyone Thinks They're Together, Fluff and Humor, Getting Together, M/M, Mutual Pining, Sonic thinks a Lot!, a whole ride of emotion and fun, alternately: everyone WANTS them to be together, domesticism at its finest, he can also play the guitar, lowkey, lowkey bad at feelings, rouge gets drunk, some chaos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:47:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24911833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rougesimp/pseuds/rougesimp
Summary: Sonic laughs. And it’s not like his other laughs – uncontrollable, forced, sarcastic, or even normal. This one oozes with a sense of familiarity and love Shadow is too well aware of despite not having felt it for over half a century, and his heart clenches painfully in his chest.or, alternatively: Sonic realizes he harbours feelings towards a certain hedgehog that he isn't aware does the same. A little banter ensues.
Relationships: Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 11
Kudos: 145





	two

Rouge mentions the fact that he's only supposed to be staying over for one night. Which is great. Yes. Absolutely. One day is fine. He can figure out one day. He can tolerate one day. 24 hours is okay. _Hell_ , it's fine. Great. Wonderful. Extraordinarily impecca-

Sonic looks around with a nervousness etched on his face that clearly shows that he can not tolerate even a single day. Amy's made sure that his shit-excuse of a house looks clean, and that random remnants of the insane amount of chilli dogs he consumes per hour are not scattered around the place like a rat hole being prepared to be interrogated by the cleaners. Also, she's brought over a spare sofa to accommodate, because _Sonic's_ a self-concerned piece of hedgehog that cares for nothing but the flimsy hammock hanging in the middle of what he calls his living room. The place looks as perfect as it can get - God bless Amy - but his twitchy nervousness stays, nonetheless.

Rouge and Shadow come over a few hours later, courtesy of the fact that Eggman has, yet again, destroyed their own humble abode(s) in an excuse of wanting to hunt down the rogue, failed Cubots that still sometimes terrorise the peaceful plains of their village in looking for shelter. Which is understandable. And which makes bullying Eggman later on even more worthwhile than it already is.

Rouge goes over at Amy's. Because Amy's planned a fun night with her and Sticks, and frankly, it makes Sonic's personal earplugs resting on top of the table next to the hammock all the more worth looking forward to. Shadow has no clue about what's to come, given that though having established acquaintance with her he has absolutely no clue as to how loud Sticks can really get. But for now...

Sonic looks over at his rival, who's busy giving the place a good overall look before he feels content enough to place his bag of necessities down and fumble over to sit on the sofa. His skates - shoes, whatever they are, make a skidding noise as he walks over, and Sonic feels the smallest of anxiety rushes for the sake of his wood flooring as he forces himself to look up at him.

"Shadow," he greets, personally inclined to be a good host, only because Amy's promised him a Meh Burger out of her own money.

"Faker," Shadow greets back, and Sonic nearly almost forgets his discount cheap-skate of a meal in favour of wanting to kick him. 

Was making small talk with him throughout the years _always_ this awkward? Sonic prides in being extroverted, but he can't remember the last time he'd talked to Shadow as if he was a normal dude with a normal tragic backstory and normal self-esteem issues despite being a self-proclaimed ultimate lifeform and - Chaos, this was hard. Sonic shrugs in response to the insult he's given despite what his instinct yells at him to do - kick him - and heads outside in the direction of the beach. He gestures at the ebony hedgehog to come along, but either he's bad at sign language or does not want to go - in which case Sonic comes back in to grab him by the arm and take him outside of his own volition.

It's a bright day. Tails and Knuckles are nowhere to be found, much to Sonic's disappointment, as he leads Shadow to the beach and gingerly sits down on the sand a few safe inches away from the water. He beckons the other to do the same, but either Shadow's having a somewhat shitty day or he's just being _Shadow,_ because he does not even say anything and goes back to sit on one of the beach chairs behind them. The blue hedgehog sighs, arms crossing over his knees as he stares with half-lidded eyes into the bland horizon. He wonders how long it'll take for Eggman to fly his egg-shaped ass home to try to torment their time again.

Anything to break the awkward silence.

They're sitting for a few five minutes before Sonic gets restless.

He gets up, and turns. "Wanna duel?"

Shadow releases a breath Sonic never knew he'd been holding in. "Thought you'd never ask."

* * *

They don't have the swords to settle it, but it ends up with Sonic hanging on his head off a tree. Shadow does not help him down.

* * *

Sonic and Shadow retire to Sonic's hut some time in the evening, because frankly, there's nothing to do. Sonic suggests a movie, and Shadow does not agree to it until Sonic, exasperated and irritated, agrees to watch The Little Mermaid. ('Rouge said it's an interesting watch," he says.) Sonic's - Amy's - sofa is clean and inviting, and the blue blur jumps on it as soon as he sees his chance. Shadow, with a grim frown, settles on the available side. They turn on the movie, and Sonic snuggles into the cushions as it starts.

He's almost fallen asleep when he looks over to Shadow. His rival's staring into the screen with so much attention that Sonic is nearly baffled. Since when was he interested in fishes singing songs? There's so many questions that Sonic has that he doesn't think twenty four hours would be enough to get them all answered - wait - twelve, now? He checks the time. 8.19 PM. 14 hours. He wonders where Shadow and Rouge are going to stay after tomorrow. Surely their own places can't be rebuilt within a day without their own supervision. He almost falls asleep amidst his thoughts when he feels a nudge to his side, and looks up to Shadow's face only a few inches from his own.

He stares for a second. Or two. Shadow stares back.

Then they jump away from each other as if they've been electrocuted.

Sonic lets out a noise he wasn't aware he was capable of making. "I'm so sorry!" he yells out, purely out of mortification. "I didn't notice!" Which is the truth. Basically. Shadow seems too unhinged to answer, but he nods with his wide eyes and inches to the far end of the couch, the most faded of red dusting his cheeks as his attention goes back to the movie instantly, either to distract himself or....being Shadow....being able to divert his attention quickly. Sonic doesn't join him, instead opting to go lay down in his hammock.

He's not one to spend his day thinking a lot. But tonight can be a little different.

He's not sure what time it is when he startles himself from sleep and wakes up to see Shadow sitting on the couch with his head in his palms. The noise from outside indicates the girls having the loudest party known to hedgehog-kind, and with Rouge getting drunk Chaos knows who's house they might burn down in the dead of night. Sonic looks at the forgotten earplugs on the table next to him and grabs an extra pair to throw them towards Shadow. The ebony hedgehog catches them, the slightest hint of a sleepy grin etched on his face. Sonic blinks. Maybe it's his sleep deprivation and the moonlight. 

* * *

Sonic wakes up one dream later with a realisation. 

And because he's impulsive little shit, he goes straight to Amy. 

* * *

Rouge and Sticks are passed out when a groggy, sleepy Amy opens the door with half a mug of coffee in her hand. She blinks, says "Sonic?" as soon as the blue hedgehog grabs her and speeds to the beach in need of privacy. Amy sits down on one of the beach chairs, used to this situation and used to Sonic's unpredictable antics, and asks, "What's wrong? It's like 7 AM."

"Yeah, yes," he says, obviously baffled by something, "I realised something. Something bad."

Amy quirks her head. "Bad?"

"Bad, Amy!"

The pink hedgehog rolls her eyes. "Bad? What's bad so early in the morning?"

Sonic shuffles towards her with wide eyes and shakes her shoulders. "I had a dream."

Amy has half a mind to get her hammer out. " _What_ dream?"

"A dream about _him."_

_"Who?"_

_"_ Shadow."

Amy blinks. She looks at him wordlessly before coughing, and looking like she's stifling her laughter.

Sonic only goes more on edge at this reaction.

"AMY!"

"What?!" she says, openly laughing. "So you finally figured out you like him. _Everyone_ could tell!"

Sonic goes pink. "Everyone?"

Amy laughs harder. "Not _him,_ you dummy!"

He breathes a sigh of relief. Amy has the biggest grin on her face.

“Hey, wanna ask them to stay over for longer?”

“ _No!”_

* * *

“You guys could stay longer,” Sonic says, nervously scratching the back of his quills, “If you want.”

Rouge beams. Shadow looks disinterested. But a small smile quirks up as soon as Sonic leaves with a quick excuse of village duties.

* * *

Sonic doesn’t show up, after that. Shadow tries to look unsuspicious, but looks around for the blue blur in lieu of accepting Knuckles and Tails’s company. They’re both nice – good people, but he’s feeling a little like running around instead of sitting down and consuming an inhuman amount of Meh burgers for a few measly rings.

He finds him deep in the forest a little further from their beloved beach. He’s sitting on a log in front of an ocean view with a guitar in his hands that looks a little worn down, and trees surround him everywhere like a scene in one of the Disney movies Rouge watches sometimes. Shadow stops right before the other can become aware of his existence, opting to stand behind a tree to watch him play.

Shadow notices that his eyes are closed. His fingers are moving smoothly, softly, as if he’s in a trance. His music is soft, too, an embodiment of the peaceful scene. Shadow unconsciously sits down as he watches him, until a few good minutes pass by and he can _hear._ Not the music, but _him._ His eyes widen, just a little bit.

He’s not a professional or anything, obviously. But something about the usually excitable and jumpy hedgehog’s quiet voice singing…something about it is unbelievably serene. He brings his hands to his knees and shifts in a more comfortable position, and a dry leaf cracks under him. He freezes.

Sonic’s ear twitches, and he looks back.

He has an unreadable expression on his face. But he smiles, and says, “Hey, Shads. What’re ya doing here?”

“Came to find you,” Shadow chokes out quickly, deterred just the slightest after witnessing what he has. “The others are…..” He looks down, “…looking for you.”

“Ah.”

Sonic doesn’t move. He doesn’t shift his gaze, either, not until Shadow climbs up to sit next to him and look at his guitar.

“Didn’t know you played.”

“Oh, yeah,” Sonic laughs a little, possibly reminiscing in a memory, “A few months ago, we had an idol-group phase. I ended up learning a little.” He smiles down at the guitar, paint chipping off and strings looking close to snapping. Then back at Shadow with the same expression. “Kinda sad you and Rouge weren’t here to see it. It was wild.”

“They had you. Of course it had to be wild,” Shadow scoffs. Then he mumbles, “It would’ve been good to see it.”

“Well, if I have a crazy idea involving a rock band again, I’ll send you an invitation,” Sonic says, with a wink, and Shadow rolls his eyes. “You can play the drums, maybe.”

“I’ll play the damn flute.”

“Then it’s not really rock!”

They continue their quiet banter till the sun goes down, and the sky blooms into a soothing orange. It’s not until Amy, Rouge and the others come to find them that they regain their knowledge about the concept of Time and opt to return home, where Sonic pulls Shadow onto a hammock and shows him cat pictures on his phone until Shadow embarrassingly confesses to wanting to open a shelter for stray cats at some point, and they discuss the limits of that until Shadow dissolves in a bout of short laughter when Sonic makes a joke too good for the vulnerable state he finds himself in.

It’s nice. Maybe too nice.

They’re lying side to side on the hammock when Shadow becomes aware of the proximity and that he can hear Sonic breathe right next to him, can see the rise and fall of his chest with every breath he takes in easily, can ghost easily over his skin without meaning to.

It must have struck 12, because Sonic shifts to his side to look at Shadow, just to say, “You’ve been here almost 40 hours now. I was ready to kill you at 24.”

Shadow doesn’t answer. He finds himself too busy looking at his damn lips moving.

“Don’t you feel the same?”

That snaps him out of his short-lived daydream, and he looks at him with a questioning expression.

“Don’t you feel tired of being around me?”

It feels like a trap question, especially with the small smile on his lips as he says it, but since when has Shadow given a damn about a trap question?!

He answers anyways, “I’ve come to respect your company, even if sometimes I want to beat you up.”

Sonic laughs. And it’s not like his other laughs – uncontrollable, forced, sarcastic, or even normal. This one _oozes_ with a sense of familiarity and love Shadow is too well aware of despite not having felt it for over half a century, and his heart clenches painfully in his chest.

He doesn’t say anything but stare, even after Sonic comes down from his momentary high of serotonin and even after the blue hedgehog himself realizes the sort of proximity they are in.

“Hey, you should look up.” He doesn’t sound uncomfortable in the least with him around. “The stars are pretty tonight.”

Shadow doesn’t answer. He looks straight at him, his eyes, unconsciously moving closer. Sonic’s hand comes to rest on his arm, strides over to his cheek and then rests.

“Hey,” he whispers.

“Hi,” Shadow barely whispers back. This feeling is so unfamiliar.

“D’you wanna kiss me?” Sonic has always been straightforward.

Shadow nods. “Don’t know why else I’m so close to you if I didn’t,” he grumbles, and Sonic grins again. That grin. He looks somewhat more handsome in the pale moonlight.

Why does his mind want to spin poetry in this moment? It’s unfathomable.

“Then don’t be a pussy about it.”

It’s a more languid kiss than most. Shadow pulls away after a short minute, breath caught up in his lungs and eyes widened just a little bit. Sonic, flushed red, does not have the energy to look at him in lieu of closing his eyes with a self-satisfied smile on his face. His hands fly over Shadow’s chest to pull him impossibly close wordlessly, and he sighs weirdly.

Shadow feels too emotionally tired. He closes his eyes, as well.

* * *

Rouge walks in on two of her close friends cuddling together on a single flimsy hammock at 7 AM in the morning and thinks it enough reason to grab a drink and tease the absolute shit out of them. But then she sees Shadow’s hand softly holding on to Sonic’s, and leaves the room with an exasperated sigh and a fond roll of her eyes.

Perhaps it’s best to leave them alone.


End file.
